Please help settle this argument re rat runs

[smittenkittennn]

Came up again on school run this morning. DH is convinced that when cars are in a traffic jam and they see a car turning off onto a side run, the other cars see the car turning and think "well he/she must know something I don't know - I'm going to follow that car."

I think in this day of sat nav nobody would do that and rather what people assume is the car that's turning is going somewhere else (home/different location/etc.). I think no one in their right mind would just follow some random thinking they know a way round the traffic jam.

When I point out to DH that he doesn't do this. He acknowledges he doesn't, but insists other people do. I finally said this morning we would let mumsnet be the decider.

YANBU = no one follows randoms
YABU = of course people follow other cars out of traffic jams

I had no idea people followed randoms like that, I never do and never would!

@Covert20

Sat navs are often shit at getting round jams 🤷🏻‍♀️

I agree with this, partly as they generally take traffic onto roads too small to cope and you don't find out that the small road is gridlocked until it is too late.

But people do follow randoms. Non rational herd behaviour. You don't know whether they have a secret rat run known only to them, they're taking a punt or if they're just going somewhere else.

Same as when people choose to go into the busy restaurant leaving a similar one next door empty. You've no idea which is better, and everyone in there could only have gone in there because other people were there and the first people there could have simply chosen at random.

My Dad was a London taxi driver having taken the "knowledge of London" exam and could always find his way around any jam.

We lived in an estate just off the always jammed Old Kent Rd and every time he brought me home from school there would be a convoy of confused motorists when he pulled up in our parking space.

I don’t but know for certain that others do. I’ve had a few people follow me and indicate to turn into my driveway!

I do. I followed a bloke into his cul de sac once

@SanFrancisco49er

I do. I get bored and would rather do something than just sit! It might just lead to same amount of traffic but I've also potentially learnt a new route!

Of course it settles the argument. You said that people don’t do it. You’ve clearly got people right here saying that they themselves do!

I have no idea how I’ve quoted the wrong post. Sigh.

yes i think people do it - not every time but I'm with your husband on this one...

@HorsePellets

I have no idea how I’ve quoted the wrong post. Sigh.

Couldn't quote your original message but point taken! I'm really surprised though.

Yup, been known to do this, esp if I'm in an area I don't know at all.

I trust randoms more than I trust redirected traffic signs! I was once at a jam caused by an accident, it was dark and I didn’t really know the area. A policeman was directing traffic up a little side road. My gut said noooo that’s a driveway, and I was right, it was a dead end which meant all the cars had to reverse inch by inch back onto the road again, where the policeman was still trying to get us to go back up it again.

Then followed a randomer for what felt like forever but got us to the other side of the accident!

If it's on the school run surely you already know if it's a shortcut/escape route or not?

@paintspatteredpants

If it's on the school run surely you already know if it's a shortcut/escape route or not?

We do - it just came up on school run yesterday as there was a lot of traffic coming the other direction when usually there isn't much traffic coming that way. DH mentioned his following randoms theory in that context.

Many years ago a car driving in the fog through the corridor from West Germany to Berlin decided to follow the British Forces car ahead for guidance. After some time the car in front stop and flagged the second car down,
Are you following me up to Berlin?

Yes, I've never driven through the corridor before.

The Berlin turning was way back, I'm driving up to Warsaw!

Oops!